Clamping Down On Criminal Thoughts — A Better Way To Lower The Crime Rate?

(Reuters) - A New York City police officer accused of plotting to kidnap and cannibalize women had been having dark fantasies since he was a teenager, but had no intention of ever turning those thoughts into reality, his attorney said on Monday at the start of his federal trial.

Attorney Julia Gatto also said that Officer Gilberto Valle, who faces 20 years to life in prison if convicted, talked online about torturing his own wife and her female friends and colleagues.

"What really turns on is the idea of a woman - oiled, bound, laid out on a platter with an apple in her mouth, about to be cooked," Gatto told jurors in opening arguments. "That's his dirty little secret."

She argued that Valle was engaged in online sexual fantasy role play involving a little-known internet subculture where people with unconventional desires gather to act them out in cyberspace but with no intention of every carrying out criminal acts. (source)

What do you think about the idea of prosecuting people for unacted-upon thoughts? Is that a horrible idea or a creative way of putting away people with homicidal, phedophiliac, or larcenous thoughts before they commit a crime.

Replies to This Discussion

When thought becomes a crime, then 99.99% of the human population had better stop thinking!

The problem with this story is not that it's just a thought, it's been put on the internet, but since I too have what some might call dark fantasy, I'd disagree that it's the business of the court to get involved, it's a very personal thing.

"a little-known internet subculture where people with unconventional desires gather to act them out in cyberspace"

I saw a discussion of this on CNN. The lawyers thought that the prosecutor is going to lose on the criminal thought aspect. The cop did abuse police department resources in researching some of his fantasy targets, and they will probably get a conviction on that.

What do you think about the idea of prosecuting people for unacted-upon thoughts? Is that a horrible idea or a creative way of putting away people with homicidal, phedophiliac, or larcenous thoughts before they commit a crime.

That depends. Are we as cruel as God now?

I have an idea.

Let's find a big empty desert, dig a really deep hole, and fill it with all kinds of flammable material. We'll set it on fire, and call it... I dunno... "Hell" !

Then we take all the people who commit thought-crime and send them there!

Thinking potentially evil thoughts or carrying out a warped fantasy online w/ others may be troubling for a spouse or loved ones who learn of it. But how is this any different than playing an FPS game where you maim and murder street side innocents in a sea of blood and guts?

I believe that laws exist allowing authorities to force people into psychiatric evaluation against their will. I don't think that treating potentially dangerous thoughts should be taken to the level of a crime.

someone else, or the person themselves, would have to come in or be brought in to the emergency room, if no crime has been committed yet. And they can hold you for 1 week. a doctor stating your a risk to yourself or others cane enlongate that by 2 weeks, really because they can't force treatment only the hospital stay. Then if your doc deems your a risk to others, usually because of denial of treatment, it can be another week or until a court can hear the case. then a committment hearing will occur with the judge siding either way, but they could mandate treatment and a hospital stay for as long as the doctors require, but the doctors do have to state how long that will be once treatment begins. all this is per state btw.

Most people understand the difference between reality and fantasy and for most of them reality would be very disapponting and the reprecussions, if they are not insane completely, would lead most to enact these fantasy in a safe enviroment whether with just private thoughts or clubs with like minded people.

I assume the case will come down to if he used his police role illegally. but I do not see how his thoughts and plans can be used to make a case for something that has not been committed. they would have to have tangible events of some kind of actual attempt in order for the prosecution to have a case on that issue. but that may exist depending on the information he aquired by being a cop.

One problem, I think, is that many believe that people have no control of their thoughts. In fact they do (free-will discussions aside). Dark thoughts can, indeed, flash through our minds, but we do have control over which thoughts we nurture. Only a psychopath would act on a single thought which flashed through their mind. Those who commit vile crimes probably only do so after having cultivated and rationalized their "daymares" for some time.

I think the time may well come when thought reading is possible. When is does people will become experts in nurturing constructive thoughts and banishing destructive ones.

Happily I won't be around long enough to have to decide if I would prefer such a society.